


Non-Perilous Activities

by Musogato



Category: The Daevabad Trilogy - S. A. Chakraborty
Genre: Cooking Lessons, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Mutual Pining, Post Book 3: The Empire of Gold, Sewing, Slice of Life, Spoilers for Book 3: The Empire of Gold, just them being cute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:46:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26178199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musogato/pseuds/Musogato
Summary: "As your partner and your doctor, it's worrying that all you do is paperwork and evade death. I need you to do something that isn't going to drive us both into an early grave, okay?"At Nahri's request, Ali attempts to learn some domestic skills.
Relationships: Nahri e-Nahid/Alizayd al Qahtani
Comments: 12
Kudos: 24





	Non-Perilous Activities

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Twinkleterson](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twinkleterson/gifts), [laadynaty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/laadynaty/gifts), [socordia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/socordia/gifts), [munazza](https://archiveofourown.org/users/munazza/gifts), [unorgaynized](https://archiveofourown.org/users/unorgaynized/gifts), [AnUnknownForeignBeauty](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnUnknownForeignBeauty/gifts), [bananabreadbee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bananabreadbee/gifts), [unevalentine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/unevalentine/gifts).



> Based on an adorable idea by Amara and the Potato Heads about Ali not being in peril for once. 💙 Thank you for the inspiration!

"Okay, it's time." Nahri announced. 

Ali glanced up at her and frowned. "Are you sure? This seems entirely too soon."

"Ali. It's time." Nahri stared at him, her eyebrows rising slightly in what she had learned from Subha was an intimidating move that brokered no further arguing. 

Ali sighed and stood up. They were in Nahri's small kitchen, relaxing after having finished their dinner. He picked up the kettle of boiled water and returned to the table. Setting a strainer onto a small teapot, he poured the kettle's contents over it. Damp tea leaves fell into the strainer as a cloud of steam billowed past his face. Once the teapot was filled, he pulled back and set those no-longer-needed items aside. Into two cups he poured the pleasantly smelling tea, steam curling into the air. He pushed one cup over to his companion sitting across from him, and moved the other cup to his side. 

"Nicely done," Nahri said, a satisfied smile on her face. Her gaze turned down to the fabric in her hands and her expression faltered. "Your stitches, however, are not. They're not even going in the same direction. And why are there knots everywhere?"

Ali groaned and leaned back in his chair. "What does it matter? No one is going to notice."

"People will absolutely notice this, Ali. You're in charge of setting up a new government, and with your… marid appearance, people will be paying extra attention to you. You need to look good. Competent." Nahri's eyes softened. "They need to see what I see."

Ali looked at her from under his lashes and tried not to smirk. "That I'm _well-formed?_ "

Nahri blushed and lashed the garment at him as he burst into laughter, raising his arms to block the weaponized sleeves. 

Nahri huffed as she smoothed the garment back onto the table. _"This_ is why I don't compliment you," she growled in mock offense, unable to entirely tamp down her smile. "It goes right to your head."

Ali chuckled and picked up his teacup. "I think you compliment me more than you realize." He blew over the hot liquid and took a sip. _"Oh."_

Nahri glanced up at him. "Oh good, or oh bad?" 

Ali looked away, seemingly embarrassed to meet her gaze. Nahri grinned sharply. "I was right, wasn't I," she gloated. 

Ali lifted his yellow-dappled eyes to hers and a smile bloomed on his face. "Yes, Nahri, you were right."

Nahri smirked victorious and took a sip from her own cup. "Mmm. Yes, perfect amount of time. See, if you let the leaves sit too long, it burns away all of the flavors." Nahri took another deep sip, then sighed in satisfaction. "This tea blend is too delicious for such misuse."

She glanced up to see Ali still watching her. "What?" she asked with a chuckle. He said nothing, shaking his head lightly. She smirked and pushed the garment across the table. "Take these stitches out and try it again. In one direction, this time. I don't understand how you catch every detail in the tax codes and yet are so lax with these threads."

Ali picked up the stitch remover tool and sighed, a slight smile still on his face. "We're not all doctors, Nahri."

~*~

The next evening, Ali was again at Nahri's home in the shafit district. He sat at the main table, pouring over several scrolls while Nahri relaxed nearby on the divan, reading a book. 

"Ali, you're available in the evenings, correct?" 

Ali looked up from his papers with a thoughtful frown. "Not really… That's when I visit you."

A smile burst across Nahri's face and she scratched her nose to hide it. "I will take that as a yes. Umm Raima is hosting a cooking class, and I signed us up."

Ali stared at her in confusion. "What? Why?" 

Nahri marked her page and closed her book. "Because we need it. Do you not remember how we fared on the Nile, before it all went to hell?" 

Ali paused, the memory of weeks of terrible not-meals drifting back to him because neither of them knew how to cook. He sighed. 

"All right, but things are normal again. We have food stalls, and the palace chefs..."

"We are grown adults, and you're not going to live in the palace forever. We need to learn some basics, Ali."

Ali huffed, before a quiet confusion settled over his expression. Recognizing it, Nahri paused. "What is it?" she asked softly. 

He glanced over at her. "What do you mean, I won't be living in the palace forever?" 

Nahri's eyebrows popped up in surprise. "I, um. Just mean that, once the new government is more settled, you can live wherever you want." She glanced down, uncharacteristically bashful. "You can choose where you want to stay."

"Oh." Ali watched her for a moment before turning his gaze down at his scrolls, worrying the edge of the paper with his fingers. "I haven't thought that far ahead. With the Citadel gone, I'm not sure where I belong. Or if any of the quarters would even want me there. My… appearance hasn't been that well-received."

"I'm sure there are places that would welcome you," she replied softly. 

He snuck a glance at her and gave a small smile. "That's a reassuring thought."

Nahri cleared her throat and looked up at him, all softness gone. "Anyway. The classes start next week, and you're not getting out of it."

"Are there any other classes you've signed me up for?" Ali asked jokingly. Nahri stared at him with her trademark mask that revealed nothing. He narrowed his eyes. "No. Nahri…" 

She sighed, averting her gaze. "Flower arranging," she muttered. 

Ali's eyes widened. "Did you say _flower arranging?_ Nahri, why would you sign us up for something as useless as--" 

Nahri huffed, grabbing her book fiercely. "Listen, al Qahtani! Flower arranging is very meditative!" 

"I pray five times a day. I don't need to sort flowers to feel meditative."

Nahri frowned at him, her pursed lips twitching as if she were chewing her next words. She growled, leaning back in her seat. "Fine. It was a package deal with the cooking class. Both of which are a favor to Elashia. So if I'm going, you're coming with me. Got it?" 

Ali sighed with a scowl. 

"Besides, you need some non-perilous activities. As your partner and your doctor, it's worrying that all you do is paperwork and evade death. I need you to do something that isn't going to drive us both into an early grave, okay?" 

Ali rolled his eyes. "Why not something I'm interested in, then? Like reading. Reading is not perilous."

Nahri deadpan stared at him. "You unleashed a cursed scroll just last week."

Ali frowned, his gaze flicking upwards in thought. "Wasn't that last month?" 

"No, it just feels like it was because this has been such a long week. In part because of the cursed scroll. That you unleashed. By reading it."

Ali sighed, rubbing his forehead. _"_ _And I am sorry_. But to be fair, cursed Daeva scrolls should have a warning on them."

Nahri threw her hands into the air. "It _did_ have a warning. But your Divasti wasn't good enough to understand it!"

"Okay, but you do understand how the warning being more complicated than the hex inside is not actually helpful?" Ali asked, matching her exasperation. 

Nahri closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Ali…" 

"Yes?"

"Please do this for me."

"Okay."

Nahri opened one eye to look at him. He was looking back at her, his expression content. His lip quirked upward and he turned back to his scrolls. Nahri exhaled. Settling back into the divan, she picked up her book and returned to her reading. 

"Are we going to have to bring our own flowers?" 

"I have no idea."


End file.
